Christmas Devo #1: What Kind of Heart Do You Have?”

At one point in Jesus ministry, Jesus questioned the sincerity of many in the large crowd. In an effort to weed out halfhearted “followers”, Jesus told the following parable: “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?  For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn't able to finish.’(Luke 14:28-30).

Jesus’ call to count the cost was not intended as an exhortation to “try harder” and “grit your teeth” a little more in hopes of being successful. Jesus' call here is to wholehearted devotion with an implied warning attached: It is better for one not to embrace Jesus at all then to do so with a divided heart. Most of us at some time or other have witnessed the tragedy of people who have allowed the temptations and hardships of life to crowd in on their loyalty to Jesus. Sadly, the lives of many of these people end up being emotionally wrecked because the cost of being a true disciple proved too high. Having been marked as a follower of Jesus, they find they fit neither in the church nor the world. Their identity has been shattered.

In contrast to the crowd, Mary, the mother of Jesus, demonstrated unconditional love for God and unqualified obedience at the angelic announcement. Without hesitation, Mary wholeheartedly declared: “Yes, I see it all now:   I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.Let it be with me  just as you say.”(Luke 1:37, The Message) There is no indication that Mary even gave a second thought to the price of her obedience. She trusted the heart of God unconditionally. Unlike the crowds in Jesus’ ministry, Mary had surrendered her heart long before her encounter with the angel. Her unconditional love for God made her a prime candidate for use in God’s eternal plan. Many of us like the idea of being “used by God” at least in theory, but we become embittered in the process. We may never acknowledge it as bitterness toward God, but instead as disappointment and disillusionment with other Christians or “the church”.

Choosing to follow Jesus does not guarantee that we won’t be misunderstood or mistreated. Often it all but guarantees that we will be treated worse by those who should understand God’s plan the best. During Jesus’ life Jesus was derogatorily referred to as “Mary and Joseph’s son.” suggesting Jesus  illegitimacy. Despite the challenges that came with her unconditional obedience, we remember Mary because she put God’s interest above her own, without respect to the cost.

Are you a member of the crowd, one who follows Jesus from a distance out of convenience? Have you become disillusioned, blaming others because the price of following Jesus proved higher than expected? Or are you like Mary, convinced that no price can be too high to be a part of God’s eternal plan. Regardless of where you are or where you have been, Christmas gives us a new opportunity to remember the only real way forward. It is summed up in Mary’s words:“Yes, I see it all now:    I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.Let it be with me  just as you say.”